Hair dryer

ABSTRACT

A hair dryer is disclosed having a mobile housing containing a pump and a source of radiant heat. A flexible conduit is connected to an outlet supported on the housing for use in directing the heat and air where desired. The conduit is removably attached to a flexible support on the housing and terminates in a nozzle.

United States Patent [1 1 Caruso Sept. 17, 1974 HAIR DRYER [76] Inventor: Richard Caruso, 7801 Montgomery Ave., Eikins Park, Pa. 191 17 [22] Filed: Feb. 20, 1973 21 Appl. No.': 333,923

[52] US. Cl .J 219/370, 34/96, 34/243 R,

128/256, 219/368, 219/375 [51] Int. Cl. A45d 20/08, HOSb 1/00 [58] Field of Search 219/374376,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,006,767 10/1911 Mauger 219/368 2,320,964 6/1943 Yates 239/291 3,064,360 11/1962 Sholin 34/99 3,104,307 9/1963 Garofalow et a1. 219/370 3,298,111 1/1967 Parr 219/370 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,067,853 5/1967 Great Britain 34/99 581,170 11/1924 France 219/367 Primary Examiner-.1. V. Truhe Assistant Examiner-Clifford C. Shaw Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Seide1, Gonda & Goldhammer [5 7 ABSTRACT A hair dryer is disclosed having a mobile housing containing a pump and a source of radiant heat. A flexible conduit is connected to an outlet supported on the housing for use in directing the heat and air where desired. The conduit is removably attached to a flexible support on the housing and terminates in a nozzle.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures aiaasnso PAIENIEBsEP 1 71974 sum 1 BF 2 HAIR DRYER This invention is directed to a hair dryer, and more particularly to a hair dryer which is mobile and particularly adapted for use by professionals such as beauticians and the like. The hair dryer includes a mobile housing having a pump and a source of radiant heat. The pump causes air from the environment to enter into the housing and directs the same toward the source of heat. The heated air is then discharged through an outlet port in the housing into a flexible conduit.

The flexible conduit is removably attached to a flexible support on the housing. The end of the flexible conduit remote from the housing terminates in a nozzle for controlling the discharge of the heated air. If desired, the flexible conduit may be detached from its flexible support during use. The source of radiant heat is preferably one or more electric light bulbs which are readily replaceable and readily available commercially to any user of the hair dryer at low cost. The hair dryer of the present invention combines maximum efficiency with simplicity. If the source of heat, such as the electric light bulbs, need replacement this is a maintenance step which anyone can perform. Light bulbs are readily available almost everywhere. The air delivery conduit is flexible so that all portions of a persons head may be easily subjected to the heated air. The flexible conduit is attached to and supported by a flexible support which will remain in any configuration or position to which it has been manipulated. In this manner, the nozzle at the discharge end of the flexible conduit may be directed to a particular portion of a persons head and will remain in that position until moved.

The pump is mountedwithin the housing. The inner portions of the housing are provided with insulation to prevent the loss of heat and to'minimize noise. The housing is perfectly divided into two chambers with the pump in one chamber and the source of radiant heat in the other chamber. The chamber containing the source of radiant heat is perfectly provided with a reflector. The housing is provided with some type of means which makes it readily ascertainable that the source of radiant heat such as the light bulbs are connected to a source of power and operating.

It is an object to the present invention to provide a novel hair dryer.

There is another object of the present invention to provide a mobile hair dryer which combines a variety of factors in a manner which is simple, easy to use, and easy to maintain.

There is another object of thepresent invention to provide a hair dryer which uses electric light bulbs as a source of radiant heat.

Thereis another object of the invention to provide an inexpensive hair dryer by use by beauticians which is simple, inexpensive, easy'to maintain.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that'this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair dryer in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hair dryer shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view from the inside of the housing.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a hair dryer in accordance with the present invention designated generally as 10.

The hair dryer 10 includes'a housing designated generally as 12. The housing 12 includes a cylindrical outer wall 14, preferably made from metal, a bottom wall 16 and a removable top wall 18. The housing 12 is mounted on a base designated generally as 20.

The housing 12 may be removably attached to the base 20 in any convenient manner. For purposes of illustration, the housing 12 has semi-cylindrical protuberances 24 in its outer wall 14. The base 20 includes a semi-circular ring type clamp 26 which extends around and embraces the protuberance 24 as shown in FIG. 1. The detachable joint 28 is provided on the clamp 26. The base 20 includes a lower ring structure 30 mounted on wheels 32.

As shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the housing 12 includes a center partition 34 which divides the interior of the housing 12 into a pump chamber 36 and the heating chamber 38. The pump chamber 36 includes a pump 40 which is secured to and supported by the top wall 18 in depending relation. The top wall 18 is removably coupled to the outer wall 14 in any convenient manner such as by the latches 42. i

The (face of the partition 34 which partially defines the pump chamber 36 is provided with insulation 44. Similar insulation is provided on the inner surface of the top wall 18, along the portion of the bottom wall 16 within the chamber 38, and along the'inner peripheral surface of the wall 14 which defines the heating chamber 38. Any one of a wide variety of insulation'materials which have low heat transfer characteristics may be utilized.

A baffle means 46, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4, is provided within the pump chamber 36 to minimize the noise of air flow to the pump 40. The baffle means 46 includes a curved wall 48 having flanges 50 secured to the inner surface of the wall 14. A plurality of such curved walls48 are secured to the'inner periphcry of wall 14 in any convenient manner such as by the 'use of adhesives. Each wall 48 has a height so as to be in contact with the insulation on the inner surface of the top wall 18 and the housingbottom wall 116.

Each side of the curved wall 48, at the upper end thereof, is notched adjacent to its flange 50.'In FIG. 4, the notches are designated 52. A plurality of holes 54 are provided in that portion of the cylindrical outer wall 14 which is contiguous with the chamber 36 at a location so asto be approximately intermediate the ends of and opposite the curved wall 48. The air'flow pattern is through the'holes 54 andinto'the generally elliptical spacebetween curved wall 48 and-the inner surface of wall 14. Then the air flows through the notches 52, and then downwardly between adjacent baffle means 46 for entry into the inlet port on the lower surface of the pump 40. T he'air flow pattern just described is shown by arrows inFIGS. 3 and '4. Suitable electrical wiring 56 enters the housing '12 and is connected to the pump 40.

In the heating chamber 38, there is secured to the bottom wall, on top of the'layer of insulation, sockets 58 and 62. The sockets are part of a radiant source of heat. A light bulb 60 is coupled to socket 58. The light bulb 64 is coupled to socket 62. The sockets extend upwardly through a highly polished heat reflector 66.

The outlet port of the pump 40 communicates with chamber 38 above the reflector 66 by way of a U- shaped conduit 68. The conduit 68 is preferably translucent so that one may observe that the bulbs 60 and/or 64 are lit. Conduit 68 need not be translucent or transparent since other equivalent ways may be provided to indicate the on or off position of the light bulbs 60 and 64. Conduit 68 issupported by the top wall 18 of the housing. While the conduit 68 is generally U-shaped, it will be noted that the leg thereof which communicates with chamber 38 is longer than the other leg which is connected to the outlet port of pump 40. Thus, air from pump 40 is discharged downwardly directly at and ad jacent to the light bulbs 60 and 64 by the conduit 68.

The top wall 18 includes switches 70 and 72 for turn: ing the light bulbs 60, 64, respectively on or off. Each light bulb is preferably provided with its own on-off switch so as to provide a regulation on the amount of heat. The top wall 18 also supports a switch 74 for turning the pump 40 on or off.

The top wall 18 has attached thereto a flexible metal support 76. The flexible metal support 76 can be manipulated to various positions and will remain in those positions. Clips 78 are attached to the flexible metal support 76 at spaced points therealong. A flexible conduit 80 has one end connected to the top wall 18 and communicating with that portion of chamber 38 above the reflector 66. The conduit 80 is removably attached to the flexible metal support by way of the clips 78. In a preferred embodiment, the clips 78 are comprised of a ring on the conduit 80 which is attachable to a hook member on the flexible metal support 76. Other equivalent devices may be utilized.

The end of the conduit 80, remote from the housing 12, terminates in a nozzle 82. The nozzle 82 includes a central discharge port 84 at the end of an elongated projection and also includes a ring of ports 86 radially disposed around said projection. The ports 86 are closer to the end of conduit 80 as compared with port 84. Ports 86 prevent the development of substantial back pressure in conduit 80 if port 84 is closed due to contact with a persons scalp. If desired, conduit 80 may be flexible plastic conduit whihc is translucent or decoratively colored.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A hair dryer comprising a housing, said housing having a cover removably secured to the upper end of said housing, wall means cooperating with said housing and cover to divide the interior of said housing into a discrete pump chamber and a discrete heating chamber, a pump in said pump chamber, said housing having an inlet through which air may enter said pump chamber and be pumped by the pump to the heating chamber, a baffle between said inlet and said pump for preventing air from moving in a straight line from said inlet to said pump, said pump being supported on a lower surface of said cover, conduit means for directing discharge from the pump to said heating chamber, said cover having an outlet communicating with the upper end of said heating chamber, a flexible conduit having one end communicating with said outlet, a conduit sup port mounted on said cover, means for attaching said conduit to said support, a nozzle connected to the other end of said conduit, said nozzle having discharge port means smaller in cross-section than the cross-section of said conduit, a discrete heat reflector in the heating chamber below said outlet, at least a portion of said reflector being below the elevation of said source of heat for reflecting heat and deflecting heated air upwardly directly towards said outlet, and said reflector being open at its upper end adjacent said outlet.

2. A hair dryer in accordance with claim 1 wherein the inlet to said pump chamber is in a side wall of said housing at an elevation below the elevation of said pump, said baffle cooperating with a side wall of said housing to define axially directed flow passages for confining air so that air flows from the inlet through the passages and enters the pumping chamber at an elevation above the suction portion of the pump.

3. A hair dryer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said source of heat includes at least one electric light bulb, means for supporting the electric light bulb at an elevation between the cover and said portion of the heat reflector.

4. A hair dryer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said conduit means for directing the discharge of the pump to the heating chamber includes a transfer conduit having first and second ends, each end of said transfer conduit being supported by said cover, said first end of said transfer conduit communicating with the discharge side of the pump, said second end of said transfer conduit communicating with the heating chamber, said transfer conduit being supported on said cover so as to have a bight portion thereof above the cover.

5. A hair dryer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing is cylindrical, mounting means on wheels for supporting said housing, and switch means on said cover for initiating activation of the pump and source of heat.

6. A hair dryer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said conduit means communicates with said heating chamber at the upper end thereof so that air enters and exits from the upper end of said heating chamber. 

1. A hair dryer comprising a housing, said housing having a cover removably secured to the upper end of said housing, wall means cooperating with said housing and cover to divide the interior of said housing into a discrete pump chamber and a discrete heating chamber, a pump in said pump chamber, said housing having an inlet through which air may enter said pump chamber and be pumped by the pump to the heating chamber, a baffle between said inlet and said pump for preventing air from moving in a straight line from said inlet to said pump, said pump being supported on a lower surface of said cover, conduit means for directing discharge from the pump to said heating chamber, said cover having an outlet communicating with the upper end of said heating chamber, a flexible conduit having one end communicating with said outlet, a conduit support mounted on said cover, means for attaching said conduit to said support, a nozzle connected to the other end of said conduit, said nozzle having discharge port means smaller in cross-section than the crosssection of said conduit, a discrete heat reflector in the heating chamber below said outlet, at least a portion of said reflector being below the elevation of said source of heat for reflecting heat and deflecting heated air upwardly directly towards said outlet, and said reflector being open at its upper end adjacent said outlet.
 2. A hair dryer in accordance with claim 1 wherein the inlet to said pump Chamber is in a side wall of said housing at an elevation below the elevation of said pump, said baffle cooperating with a side wall of said housing to define axially directed flow passages for confining air so that air flows from the inlet through the passages and enters the pumping chamber at an elevation above the suction portion of the pump.
 3. A hair dryer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said source of heat includes at least one electric light bulb, means for supporting the electric light bulb at an elevation between the cover and said portion of the heat reflector.
 4. A hair dryer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said conduit means for directing the discharge of the pump to the heating chamber includes a transfer conduit having first and second ends, each end of said transfer conduit being supported by said cover, said first end of said transfer conduit communicating with the discharge side of the pump, said second end of said transfer conduit communicating with the heating chamber, said transfer conduit being supported on said cover so as to have a bight portion thereof above the cover.
 5. A hair dryer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing is cylindrical, mounting means on wheels for supporting said housing, and switch means on said cover for initiating activation of the pump and source of heat.
 6. A hair dryer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said conduit means communicates with said heating chamber at the upper end thereof so that air enters and exits from the upper end of said heating chamber. 